Suspender-clasp



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. 0. POTTER.

SUSPBNDER GLASP.

No. 353,813. Patented Dec. 7, 1886.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-She-et'2- T. 0. POTTER.

' SUSPBNDBR CLASP. y No. 353,813. Patented Deo. 7, 1886.

FTE. JEL

WH'NEEEEE- UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS O. POTTER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SUSPENDER-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,813l dated December7, 1886.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, Tnoinis O. POTTER, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, a citizen of the United States, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Suspenders, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being hadto the-accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, inexplaining its nature.

Theinvention relates, especially, toaclasp or attaching device to beused in connection with or to form a part of the suspenders such as aredescribed in my Patent No. 322,480, and it is adapted to be fastened orsecured to the rod or device for supporting the pantaloons or otherarticle of dress, for the purpose of affording a sufficient means forattaching or securing the rod or support of the Suspenders to thewaistband of the pantaloons or other article of wearing-apparel, and onethat can be readily applied.

In the drawings, Figures 1, 2, and 8 are plans of blanks from which theclasp or attaching devices are made. Fig. 4 is a plan view of a blankfrom which its pronged jaw is made. Fig. 5 is a View showing the blankrepresented in Fig. 2 formed or bent to shape, but before the jaw andits operating device are attached thereto. Fig. 6 is a plan of the blankfrom which the link which connects the jaw with the front plate of theattaching device is made. Fig. 7 represents it in perspective formed tothe desired shape. Fig. Sis a view in perspective of the completeattaching device before it is secured to its support or rod. Fig. 9 is aview in perspective of the complete jaw made from the blank shown inFig. 4. Fig. 10 is a view in elevation of the complete suspender,representing the attaching devices as secured to the waistband bars orrods. Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of one of the waistband bars or rodswith the attaching devices secured thereto, and also showing a sectionof a waistband. Fig. 12 is a view in vertical section through one of theattaching devices, representing it as applied to a waistband, and thewithdrawn position of the jaw to permit the insertion of the waistband.Fig. 13 is a view of the same parts shown in Fig. 12, thejaw having beenpassed through the material of the waistband to fasten the attachingdevices thereto. Fig. 14 represents a slight change in the forni of thefront plate of the attaching device, reference to which is hereinaftermade. Fig. 15 is a View in elevation, and Fig. 16 in vertical section,illustrating the attaching device as employed for holding a button andsecuring it to the waistband or other article.

In the drawings, A A represent the shoulder-straps, which are connectedby the cross back-strap a. They support hooks c a2, which engage ringsb, carried by the supports B B. Each of these supports preferably hasthree waistbandattaching devices, which engage or lay hold of thewaistband of the pantaloons or other article of dress at as many points.

The attaching device comprises, essentially, a back plate having a slotor recess, a front plate carrying a sliding or movable jaw havingprongs, and a toggle or link for moving the sliding plate and forlocking it in position, the prongsbeing moved from one plate through thewaistband of the pantaloons or other article, and in a downwarddirection intoa pocket, slot, or recess in the back plate. The device isotherwise constructed so as to be secured to the suspender rod orsupport, and also to provide means for holding the ring with which thesuspender-hook engages. This ring, however, is used only in connectionwith the central attaching device or fastening. The back and frontplates are preferably made from one blank.

In Fig. 1 I have represented in plan a blank of metal from which theback and front plates are made or formed. This blank is subjected to theoperation of suitable punching and forming or stamping devices, wherebya long slot, c, is formed in the end or section o, which forms a part ofthe front plate, O', and the holesc2 and cross-bars c, provided to forma part of the hinge or joint by which the toggle or link is secured tothe front plate, as hereinafter specified. The blank may further haveholes c* for the reception of the hinges or `joints of the jaw and thetoggle or link; also the long slot, c5, in the part or section c", whichforms a portion of the back plate, C2, and which is adapted to receivethe ends of the prongs. The blank is further shaped by bending the endsection, c", inward upon the line of the slot, so as to bring the slotci into the position represented in Figs. 5 and 12, and by bending itsend backward nponitself -to form the cover ci to the slot, and therebyacting to receive the ends'of the prongs and prevent them fromprojecting ont from the back plate of the device. The end section, 09isalso bent to bring the slot ciinto the position represented in Figs. 5and 12. After the formation or shaping of the blank in this mannerthelink and sliding jaw preferably are attached. Thelink D preferably ismade of a blank, d, shaped as shown in Fig. 6, and it has the ears d andholes d", to form the pivots or cross-bars d3. The ears d serve whenbent to connect it with the front plate, C', the ears being turnedorbent about the cross-bars c3 to form a hinge or joint. The Vblank alsohas a little thumb-piece, di, turned outwardly therefrom. The jaw E ismade from a blank shaped substantially as shown in Fig; 4, and it hasthe ears e and the prongs e', which are bent to project from theremainder Y of the plate, substantially as shown in Fig. 9.

This pronged plate is attached to the link D by the ears e, the earsbeing bent about the cross-bars or pieces d3 and'forming a hinge orjoint.

When the device is employed in connection with a suspender rod orsupport,'such as above referred to, the back plate has, additionally,one or two wing-pieces, F, as preferred, by which it 'is secured to therod or support. When the device is attached to the end of the-supporting-rod, only one wingfpiece is necessary, and that is arrangedto project upon thel end of the rod or support, and so that the end ofthe rod or support may be brought flush with the side edge of theattaching device.

When it is used as the central attaching de vice upon the rod orsupport, then there may be two wing-pieces used, as represented in Fig.5. The wing, it will be observed, is of sufficient length and so shapedas to be turned or bent about the rod to support the attaching device inplace.

When a ring, G, is used, as it always is, in connection with the rod orsupport, the blank from which the front and back plates are made may belonger, so as to enable it to be placed over the ring and fasten it tothe bar or rod, or the ring may be .independently secured to said bar orrod. l

I would say that I do not limit the use of the invention to Suspendershaving the construction above indicated, but may use it for any otherpurpose where it is desired to obtain an attaching device for securing astrap or other article in place. It may be used also as a means forholding buttons, and in Fig. 16 I have represented a button, H, attachedto the front plate; but this I consider substantially an equivalent forthe wing piece or pieces F. J

It will be seen that the front and back plates of the attaching deviceare separated from each other so as to form a receiving recess or space,L--that is, a space adapted to receive the waistband or other thing towhich the Afastening may be attached-and that by bending the lower edge,o9, .of the front plate outwardly not only is the slot c brought into adesirable position for-the reception of the jaw E, but a somewhat wideropening to the recess'is provided than if this part of the front platewere straight. It will also be seen that the back plate not only has` aslot or pocket for the reception of the prongs of the jaw E, but that italso has a shoulder, M, which,

preferably, is upon the same line with theV In use the material to whichthe attaching device is to be secured is placed in the receiving spaceor recess between the front and back plates, the slide plate or jaw ofcourse having first been moved outwardly. After the material has beenthus placed the jaw or sliding plate is moved'inwardly, the prongsentering the material passing through the same and extending into 4theslot or pocket upon the other side, and they are held locked in place bythe straightening of the link or toggle. It is preferable that the frontplate be curved or shaped as shown in Fig. 14, so that the toggle orlink will be forced inward or broken to IOO ward the plate upon theapplication of strain to the prongs, as by so doing a more permal nentand better locking of the jaw is obtained.

It will be seen that the prongs of the j aw and their holding-pocketoccupy such relation to each other that the strain or downward pull ofIOS V the material is to avery considerable extent against the shoulderM of the back plate, and that such downward pull or strain also servesto hold the toggle and link straight and the jaw locked. I

In my application of even date herewith, Serial No. 206,383, I haveshown a waistbandsupport comprised of short links having ver-- ticalpivots, by which horizontal flexure is given them, and I would statethat I do not herein claim the said construction or the con structionshown in the drawings of that case.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United Statest IIO l. An attaching device forSuspenders and y other articles, comprising a back plate having a-slot,and a cover, c", to said slot, adapted to form a pocket for receivingand shielding the ends of the jaw, a movable jaw, E, provided withprongs e, formed to pass into said slot c5, and the link D, hinged tosaid movable jaw and to the front plate of the device, outside thereceiving-recess of the device, substantially as described. i

2. The combination, in an attaching device, of a back plate having aslot, c5, and a shoulder, M, adjacent thereto, a front plate incontinuation of said back plate, and forming in connection with saidback plate a recess for the reception of the garment, and a movable 5jaw, E, attached to said front plate and of which the free end isformed, and adapted to be passed from the front of the front plateacross the said recess and-through the slot c5 in the back plate,substantially as described.

'3. In au attaching device for Suspenders and other articles, a backplate, C2, having ashoulder, a slot, c, and a slot-covering plate, c5, afront plate attached to or integral with the back plate and forming inconnection therewith a receiving recess or space, provided with a slotor recess, c, a jaw or slide-plate, E, having prongs e', movable acrosssaid receiving space or recess, and a link or hinged plate, D,connecting said jaw or slide-plate with the plate C', substantially asdescribed.

4. An attaching device for suspenders and other articles, consisting ofa back plate having a recess for receiving and holding the prongs of aholding-jaw, another or front plate connected with the plate iirstnamed, and adapted to form in connection with the back plate a recessfor the reception of the band of the garment to be supported, and anindependent or separate jaw hinged to or connected with said frontplate, having terminal prongs and movable through a slot formed in saidlast-named plate across the garmentreceiving recess into theprong-receiving recess in the back plate, whereby the garmentis'inclosed between two plates and is supported by the prongs of a jaw,which pass through the material, and each end of which jaw is supportedby the plates closely to the said receiving-recess, substantially asdescribed.

5. A fastening device for Suspenders and other articles, having asliding jaw provided with prongs, and a link or hinged connectingpieceprovided with a thumb-piece or projection, (1*, substantially asdescribed.

6. An attaching device for suspenders and like articles, consisting offront and back plates arranged to form or provide a receiving recess orspace between them, a separate jaw or slide, E, movable across saidreceiving space or recess, as specified, and connected with the frontplate by the link D, and the attaching-Wing or side piece or pieces, F,substantially as described.

THOMAS o. POTTER.

Witnesses:

FRED. B. DoLAN, J. M. DOLAN.

